MANAWATU Daily Times The Campbell Street Controversy

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7084, 5 December 1929, Page 6

MANAWATU Daily Times The Campbell Street Controversy

Public opinion may to the cynic be a fickle and very unreliable thing. It may be an elusive and intangible thing. But it exists nevertheless, and in some of its manifestations is strong, unmistakeable and irresistible. Indeed, in these high moments it reveals itself as the civic soul, the civic conscience. Twice lately public opinion in Palmerston North has been deeply stitred, and on each occasion the cause has been a decision of. the Borough Council—a decision made in all good faith by responsible and experienced men but altogether out of harmony with public opinion. The decision to cut- down a number of trees touched something elemental in the life of the people—that age-long affection and companionship which men of all races feel for trees. The decision to barter away one of the city’s reserves seems also to have stirred the civic soul, perhaps because it touched a sentiment somewhat akin to the love of a tree—the call of the open spaces. Because it has focussed public attention on this, vital aspect of our civic life the controversy oyer the Campbell street playing area should be heartily welcomed by those who see the need for a greater provision of open spaces for the city to be. The discussion at Monday’s meeting of the Council showed that one or two councillors have not yet considered this question from every angle, nor do all of them appear to understand the true functions of the open space in the life of the city. Broadly speaking, it may be said that the open space has three valuable uses in a city—the greater the city the more .valuable the space and the more urgent its need. The park—to give beauty. The “lungs”—to give breathing space and fresh ,air. The playground —to give the children growing room. Palmerston North, in the opinion of one councillor—fortunately only one—has- too many open Ipaces already. That opinion is really a compliment to the men who laid our city’s foundations. They had vision and courage—vision to see down the years a great centre of industry and commerce—courage to fight for that future against the short-sighted time-servers of their own little day. But Palmerston North has now almost reached saturation point in this matter of open spaces. We do not notice it as yet because there are still fairly large tracts of private land in the * bprough which can only be considered as borrowed and merely temporary “lungs.” Anyone watching closely the trend of the city’s residential development must be startled by the rapidity with which these open spaces are being covered by the builder.' In another ten years, at the preesnt rate of increase there will hardly” be a vacant private section left of the 4600 acres which comprise our spacious borough. What then ? Are we to allow a greater Palmerston to expand its boundaries indefinitely with no further provision for these thousands who are coming ? There are four times as many houses to-day in Palmerston North as there were in 1909. If another generation sees the same ratio of growth, we shall need almost double the area of open space to provide healthgiving fresh air and satisfy the universal craving for the beautiful. t But the Campbell street playing area has called attention to another aspect of this need. We have been so busy providing and beautifying our larger parks that we have forgotten one of the clamant needs of the modern city—the small playground In other lands attention is being focussed on this need. Great modern cities like Chicago are spending huge sums acquiring just the sort of playground that the Campbell street section could provide—room for the kiddies of nearby streets to romp in. Hundreds of these small spaces are scattered about Chicago —they can be reached in a few minutes, and mothers know their children are not- far away. - In Palmerston North we propose to throw away the only playground of this sort we have. If our councillors would bring into play on this problem the same sound commonsense and public spirit which they have displayed in their handling of the affairs of the borough generally, they will not allow this sale to go through. Instead, they will begin to find ways and means of making the Campbell street playground the first of many. And posterity, for whom all public-spirited men should work, will pay them the same tribute which we to-day pay to the men ©a the past who built sq generously for this .City Beautiful,